Video: Watch the Trailer for Josh Johnson's New HBO Stand-Up Special

HBO will debut Josh Johnson: Symphony, the first HBO comedy special from the celebrated comedian, on Friday, May 22 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO. It will also be available to stream on HBO Max. Check out the trailer now.

In his debut HBO stand-up special, Emmy-nominated comedian, writer, and actor Josh Johnson performs all-new material about our shared experiences as humans. While many audiences know Johnson from his YouTube presence and as a rotating host of “The Daily Show,” his hour-long special highlights the comedian’s unique point of view as he reflects on strange childhood experiences, the perils of being labeled “nice,” challenging family dynamics, and navigating life’s most awkward moments. 

The special is written and performed by Josh Johnson, who serves as executive producer along with Jacob Menache, James Dixon, Daniel Bodansky, and John Irwin (for Irwin Entertainment), with Menache also directing the special.

About Josh Johnson

An Emmy-nominated writer, stand-up comedian, actor, and NAACP award-winner from Louisiana by way of Chicago, Johnson is currently a rotating host and correspondent on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” where he was previously a writer for seven years.

Johnson is also a former writer and performer on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” where he made his late-night debut in 2017. As a stand-up, Johnson headlines theaters, clubs, colleges, and festivals around the world, and he recently wrapped up his sold-out Flowers Tour, which took him to 112 cities around the globe.

He is also a prolific writer and performer who puts out weekly stand-up sets on his YouTube channel. In 2025, Johnson released 38 hours of topical stand up material that was performed in front of a live audience. The content on his YouTube channel has been viewed over a half-billion times by people all over the world.